West Cork is a golfer's paradise, and here we profile 18 of the best golf holes in West Cork golf clubs, stretching from Berehaven Golf Club over to the Old Head of Kinsale. Enjoy, and happy golfing!
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BEREHAVEN GOLF CLUB
9TH | PAR 4 | 356 YARDS
THE ninth hole at Berehaven Golf Club has recently undergone major redevelopment. In excess of €100,000 was spent extending this par three into a par four, by approximately 140 yards. From the tee box it looks like there’s far more water to carry than there actually is, which means it can affect your confidence and club choice.
Like the seventh and eighth holes you are required to carry water from the tee and there is very little margin for error. You will be required to manage your tee shot as you don’t want your ball landing on a downslope and running through the fairway where again water awaits.
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Your approach shot is also visually demanding as the green is located at the end of the headland which gets narrower and narrower the closer you get to the green.
Awaiting at the end of your round is a beautiful undulating USGA spec green with stunning views of Bantry Bay. There will be some cool Instagram moments here with The Bere Island Ferry passing in the background. This is amongst the best finishing holes in Ireland.
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OLD HEAD OF KINSALE
12TH | PAR 5 | 564 YARDS
ON playing the 12th hole at Old Head for the first time, Tiger Woods, struck by its awe-inspiring, if slightly daunting, beauty asked his caddie what it was called. The caddie correctly answered that it was named Courcean Stage after the unique geological feature of the cliffs that flanked its West side, to which Tiger responded that it should just be called ‘Holy Sh**!!’
Perched some 300 feet above the Atlantic Ocean below, the fairway of the 12th hole runs along the spine of the headland, featuring incredible sea caves carved through the limestone beneath and offering panoramic views across the water to both West and East Cork. It is hard to even suggest if there is a more truly spectacular hole in golf anywhere on the planet.
Advice? As this is one of the most intimidating holes in golf, keep your drive down the right side of the fairway, and proceed with caution as the fairway narrows on the approach to the green.
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CLONAKILTY GOLF CLUB
4TH | PAR 3 | 155 YARDS
WIDELY regarded as the signature hole at Clonakilty Golf Club, the par three fourth is as visually stunning as it is deceptively challenging.
Played from an elevated tee box in the shadows of the magnificent Lisselan House, it offers one of the most picturesque vantage points on the course, with the surrounding landscape adding to its sense of occasion.
Despite measuring just 155 yards, this ‘island green’ demands precision. The elevated putting surface is well protected by the Argideen River, which lurks short and to the right, ready to punish anything under-hit or slightly off line. The green itself can be tricky to hold, particularly when conditions are firm or the wind picks up, making club selection critical.
The key to playing the hole well is committing fully to your shot. Take enough club to comfortably carry the hazard and aim for the centre of the green – chasing pins here can quickly lead to trouble. A par is always a solid result, while a well-struck tee shot offers a genuine birdie opportunity on one of the most memorable holes on the course.
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SKIBBEREEN GOLF CLUB
4TH | PAR 4 | 274 YARDS
THIS is one of the best risk-reward holes on the course at Skibbereen & West Carbery Golf Club.
The hole only plays 274 yards from the back tees, with little elevation. Shorter hitters have to be accurate off the tee as there is a narrow gap between two trees to keep the ball on the fairway.
Longer hitters will have the opportunity to reach the green, but this also has its challenges, as the green is well protected with three greenside bunkers, which makes hitting the green a difficult task.
The green itself is the hole’s main protection as it slopes from front to back with a large drop off the back of the green. Therefore, this hole can offer up any score from a hole-in-one – which the club had recently – to double and triple bogies, making it a great risk-reward par four.
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SKIBBEREEN GOLF CLUB
1ST | PAR 4 | 408 YARDS
THE opening hole at Skibbereen & West Carbery Golf Club is a challenging start for golfers of all levels. From the back tees, the hole is a 408-yard, par four that plays slightly uphill and also into the prevailing wind.
There is out-of-bounds down the left side of the tee but any ball out to the right will be caught by large trees that hamper any attempt of reaching the green with your second shot.
The hole doesn’t get any easier on approach, as the second shot usually plays a lot longer than its yardage and the green itself is only 11 yards in width, making it a small target from distance.
At the back of the green you will see an eagle tree sculpture which is also the emblem of the club, making it a unique feature.
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GLENGARRIFFF GOLF CLUB
5TH | PAR 3 | 128 YARDS
In Glengarriff Golf Club, the holes are named after movies of legendary actress Maureen O’Hara, as a tribute to their late Lady President. The fifth is called ‘Sitting Pretty’, a nod to a 1948 comedy O’Hara starred in.
It’s a short par three that has a blind tee shot and a stunning backdrop of Garnish Island and Glengarriff Harbour. An accurate shot is required to avoid the course boundary on the left and the steep downslope to the right of the green. The green is protected by two large bunkers short, and a treacherous bounce if a player goes long.
Wind plays a big part in the player’s clubbing decision on this hole – get this right and the hole plays to its index of 17/18. If a player hits the green, they are rewarded with a relatively flat putt with the green sloping from front to back.
The safe play here is the middle of the green and take your chances with your putting!
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CLONAKILTY GOLF CLUB
1ST/15TH | PAR 5 | 505 YARDS
THE first hole at Clonakilty Golf Club – also replayed as the 15th – provides a memorable and slightly daunting start (and return) to the round. In competition play, the challenge is amplified from the back ‘blue tees,’ affectionately dubbed the ‘Ballinascarthy tee’ by members, as it feels so far back you’re almost in the neighbouring village!
At 505 yards, this par five is defined by water and demands both strategy and commitment from the outset. A drive of around 175 yards will safely clear the first lake, but anything overhit risks bringing the second lake into play.
The hole’s uniqueness lies in this double-water carry, forcing players to carefully balance distance and placement. The smart play is to find the strip of fairway between the two hazards, setting up a controlled second shot over the second lake.
From there, a well-executed approach leaves roughly 100 yards into the green. However, the challenge doesn’t end there – the Argideen River runs long and to the right, ready to catch any overzealous approach.
Patience is key here. Play within yourself, respect the water, and a scoring opportunity can present itself.
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BANDON GOLF CLUB
HOLE 6 | PAR 4 | 468 YARDS
REGARDED as the most difficult hole at Bandon Golf Club for both ladies and gents, the sixth is a stern examination from tee to green.
It will usually play into the wind. A daunting tee shot awaits. A fairway bunker and lake catching your eye down the right side of the fairway with a bank of trees awaiting stray shots to the left.
In the summer, the water may be reachable for longer hitters but for most it’s your Sunday best off the tee.
The second shot is played, possibly from a downhill lie and over water uphill to the green. A fairway and greenside bunker await any shot coming up short and left.
Those unable to reach in two should favour the right side of the fairway, especially if the flag is back left. A par on this hole should gain you a shot on the field.
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BERHAVEN GOLF CLUB
7TH | PAR 4 | 384 YARDS
THE seventh hole at Berehaven Golf Club is widely regarded as one of the standout and most demanding holes on the course.
It’s a par four, Index 1, with a strong risk-reward character, set dramatically along the coastline. The hole bends around the coastline, with the Atlantic Sea constantly in play.
The ideal strategy is to ‘bite off’ as much of the shoreline as possible from the tee to shorten the hole. Playing safely out left avoids immediate danger but leaves a long, awkward second shot.
After safely negotiating the tee shot, you must again carry the Atlantic Ocean to reach the green. There are not too many holes in Ireland that require you to carry the ocean twice in one hole.
It’s essentially a classic coastal gamble hole which requires both strategy and nerve rather than power.
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KINSALE GOLF CLUB
16TH | PAR 4 | 361 YARDS
YOU’RE on the home stretch now at Kinsale Golf Club, but this strong par five will test your endurance.
The 16th hole requires an accurate tee shot, with a pond in front of the tee box. A large tree sits in the middle of the fairway with out of bounds on the left and a ditch on the right side.
Forget about the trouble in view as you have a very large area to aim at.
From 150 yards, you have an elevated green, which plays a club longer than it looks, especially when you have a blue flag. Most of the trouble is short of this green with a bunker short right and a steep slope short left.
The green slopes from back left to the front right with lots of little undulations at the front of the green.
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OLD HEAD OF KINSALE
4TH | PAR 4 | 427 YARDS
THE iconic fourth hole at Old Head – Razors Edge – is beautifully framed by the stunning lighthouse that sits directly above the green.
Perched on the edge of the headland with the ocean protecting its left-hand side, golfers can often be not only distracted by the challenge but also quite often by pods of dolphins or even basking sharks that can quite often be seen from this vantage point.
One of the truly majestic holes in golf, it was Ireland’s legendary golfer Joe Carr who suggested to John O’Connor the idea for its layout. So, how do you play this hole? Use the natural contours on the right side, which will feed the ball towards the centre of the fairway. Add at least one more club to your approach shot to this elevated green.
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OLD HEAD OF KINSALE
16TH | PAR 3 | 186 YARDS
ON the homeward stretch at the Old Head of Kinsale, on the west side of the headland, the spectacular par-three 16th hole – known as the Coosgorm – features an array of different tee locations to challenge the golfer.
With the towering lighthouse in the distance and with a sheer drop to the ocean immediately to the right of the green, the safe shot is to the left side although that can then leave a tricky chip to a fast surface with the waves then directly behind. A tight par three, while the left side is popular it’s not always rewarding. The wind will play a big part in this tee shot.
A beautifully memorable and fair hole but one which merits and absolutely requires focus. Easier said than done when the views are so breathtaking!
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GLENGARRIFF GOLF CLUB
6TH | PAR 4 | 281 YARDS
Called ‘The Quiet Man’, the sixth hole at Glengarriff Golf Club is known locally as the dog leg. Another blind tee shot, it means this hole is the most difficult if you are playing the course for the first time.
The tee box offers stunning views of Glengarriff Harbour and the mountains. A shot of between 160-180 yards is required to reach a fairway well below the tee box in the valley.
A red and white pole is the target for the middle of the fairway with the course boundary on the left and a mature wood on the right punishing any bail out away from the out of bounds.
Accuracy is again going to be important – should your approach be short, the fairway is protected by planted heather which has swallowed up many golf balls.
The fairway is generous and slopes from right to left, but the work is not done yet as the green slopes drastically from front to back and is protected by two bunkers on the right.
Players try to keep their ball below the hole on this one as a putt from above the hole is lightning quick. The middle of the green and two putts is a good result as many a scorecard has fallen foul of this hole!
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BANTRY BAY GOLF CLUB
2ND | PAR 5 | 506 YARDS
THE second hole at Bantry Bay Golf Club is a magnificent par five that offers one of the most exciting scoring opportunities on the course.
Measuring 506 yards (463 metres) and sweeping gently left in a classic dogleg shape, it tempts longer hitters with the chance to reach the green in two shots.
Precision from the tee is essential to take advantage of the ideal line into the green, where risk and reward come perfectly into balance. As players approach the green, they are rewarded with the first truly spectacular view of Bantry Bay unfolding behind it – a breathtaking moment that stays with golfers long after the round is over. Combining strategy, ambition, and unforgettable scenery, the second hole is a true highlight of the course.
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KINSALE GOLF CLUB
15TH | PAR 3 | 168 YARDS
A MAN who knows Kinsale Golf Club better than most, John Murphy, describes the 15th as ‘the feature hole’. You can see why. This is many golfers’ favourite, with this beautiful par three framed by nature itself.
From the tee, you see a small green with vegetation/trees at the back, right and left. Any errant shot is punished. There is a stream running across the front of the green. It is a very receptive but dangerous green with a slope from right to left. When choosing your club, make sure you check the wind as you are sheltered on the tee box.
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BANDON GOLF CLUB
7TH | PAR 3 | 180 YARDS
THE first par three at Bandon Golf Club offers one of the most picturesque views on the course, with Castle Bernard providing a stunning backdrop. But the charm comes with a sting.
A sweeping water feature protects the entire left side of the green. To the right, a bunker guards the front corner, while a towering chestnut tree looms further right.
The prudent play is to aim for the right-centre of the green, a line that offers the safest route to par regardless of pin position. The front flag, however, tempts the bold and often proves costly.
Those who err on the side of caution and take a slightly longer club will find dry land far preferable to a watery grave. There is beauty and danger in equal measure on Bandon’s seventh hole.
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BANTRY BAY GOLF CLUB
9TH | PAR 3 | 138 YARDS
PERCHED dramatically above the coastline, the ninth hole at Bantry Bay Golf Club is one of the most photographed holes in West Cork.
This spectacular par three may measure just 138 yards (126 metres), but it demands absolute precision. With the breathtaking backdrop of Bantry Bay stretching endlessly behind the green, golfers are treated to one of the finest panoramic views in Irish golf.
The ever-changing coastal winds add an extra layer of challenge, making club selection crucial. Beautiful, exposed, and unforgettable, the ninth is a true signature hole that captures the spirit of golf on the Wild Atlantic Way.
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CLONAKILTY GOLF CLUB
9TH | PAR 5 | 515 YARDS
THE ninth hole at Clonakilty Golf Club is a fitting and formidable close to the front nine, stretching to 515 yards and standing as the longest hole on the course.
A par five that encourages attacking play, it is frequently chosen for ‘longest drive’ competitions, offering players a rare opportunity to fully unleash the driver.
What makes this hole unique is the balance between opportunity and risk. The fairway favours a gentle right-to-left draw, which opens up the hole and provides the ideal angle for the second shot. Anything pushed right, however, will run down the bank, leaving a more difficult stance and approach.
The second shot requires discipline. While reachable in theory for longer hitters, most players are best served by laying up short of the pond that guards the front of the green. This positioning leaves a controlled approach into a large, sloping putting surface that can be difficult to read.
The key to scoring here is patience. It may present itself as a birdie chance, but careful course management is essential, as par, more often than not, proves hard-earned.
